Live Like a Modern Professional Cowboy at This All-Inclusive Montana Ranch Resort

What to expect during a stay at The Resort at Paws Up Montana

There are a plethora of active adventures available to enjoy at Paws Up Montana, ranging from the 100 miles of hiking trails nearby to mountain biking trails, equestrian experiences, and more. One of the most standout details of planning a visit to Paws Up is that it’s one of the only all-inclusive resort properties in the U.S., and the only one that combines such sophisticated resort amenities with dude ranch vibes. Plus, it’s even dog-friendly (my pup was greatly spoiled with the open space and comfortable dog beds during our visit).

Every stay begins and ends with complimentary round-trip airport transportation from Missoula Montana Airport for those who fly in — and guests don’t have to worry about how they’ll get around while they’re on-site, because a booking also includes access to a personal Lexus NX for on-property transportation (for luxury home guests) and on-demand shuttle services (for camp guests).

All daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), nonalcoholic beverages, and a selection of wine, beer, and select cocktails are included (and those who want a “premium” spirit in their cocktail just need to pay a bit more for the individual selection — but otherwise, standard liquors are covered).

Guests also have access to non-guided on-site activities like hiking, but it’s important to note that just as most other “all-inclusive” properties, the spa treatments and bookable adventure activities (like archery, or an ATV tour) are not part of the “inclusive” package. However, perhaps one of the most notable (and one of my favorite) elements of the “inclusive” model is that tips are included, so you’ll never have to worry about signing a check after dinner or doing the math on how much to leave your server or activity guide.

I spent three nights on-site with my dog and my husband in late October, and it felt like we were the only people on the 37,000 property — as if we had the whole place to ourselves.

I can only speak to what the resort feels like during autumn, outside of the official summer or winter season, when the activities change, and the “glamping” tents had been shuttered for the season. But in the high season, this resort boasts accommodations for up to 275 guests across 28 luxury homes and 36 glamping tents (with seasonal availability). And it’s not your standard “resort” layout.

Accommodations at The Resort at Paws Up Montana

While driving to the guest welcoming/reception area of The Village after pulling off a vast stretch of rolling hilled highway leading up to the property (blink, and you’ll miss it), you’ll likely spy a glimpse of wildlife lazily grazing on the pasture. The 300-head herd of resident elk, some of the hundred Black Angus cows, and the savvy deer who have figured out they’re safe from the local hunters’ range while on Paws Up land roam free.

I checked in and headed to my cozy single-story Meadow Home, which can be an ideal setup for couples, families, and friends who want to spend time together — but also seek their own space. My cabin had 1,100 square feet of space with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a full living room and a sizable deck with a hot tub. I can’t speak to how the glamping tents are decorated — but our Meadow Home felt like it was set in a classic sort of Western-chic flair and furnished with upscale design touches, like leather couches and timber and iron headboards.

One of my favorite elements of design in my Meadow Home was the comfortable, large bathroom, which featured the much-appreciated luxury of a heated granite-tile floor. It honestly hurts to go back to non-heated floors once you’ve experienced this special flavor of opulence.

The Meadow Homes also feature a large kitchen with a full-sized refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher — as well as a dining room table and chair set to gather around for games and meals.

In the cozy living room, there’s a big flat-screen TV with satellite programming and access to subscription services for shows and movies (I caught up on a fair amount of my Netflix binge-watching while relaxing each night).

The outdoor hot tubs are another incredible detail when spending time in one of the luxury home accommodations. Even though it dropped down into the 30s after dark, I was cozied up in the hot tub, stargazing every single night.

Dining at The Resort at Paws Up Montana

The seasonal, outdoors-focused dining outlets were closed for the winter while I was visiting (this includes outposts like Shed and Chuck Wagon — which I’ve heard are great), which left the remaining “year-round” outlets at the “Cook Shack” area, which is centrally located near the entrance to Paws Up and the village. This spot is known as the resort’s “culinary headquarters” and is where the two year-round restaurants and full-service bar are situated.

Dine at Pomp if you’re seeking something sophisticated. This is the upscale gourmet restaurant, which serves “continental cuisine with a Western flair” using local ingredients (which means the menu is constantly changing with each season — and I appreciated that this team is very attuned to your individual dietary needs).

We had to make a reservation to eat here, but they knew my allergies upfront, which was helpful. I was told the team seemingly builds the nightly three-course menu with various options folks can choose from depending on their taste — including a vegetarian option, one kind of red meat dish, and one kind of light meat dish like chicken or fish.

Next door at Trough, it’s a more casual mood for dining, with menus offering hearty options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Finally, Tank features a selection of the “finest drink selections in the West” in a casual environment with a spirited atmosphere, including flat-screen TVs for watching sports (but you honestly might be too distracted by the awe-inspiring views of the rolling hills and wildlife outside).

And there’s, of course, in-room dining service — which means if you’re as wiped out as I was the day we arrived (after a lengthy drive up from Colorado since my dog is too big to fly) I was able to eat in the comfort of my own cabin in pajamas.

The IRD menu featured many of the same menu items served at the restaurants. There’s also a special delivery option for those staying in the luxury home accommodations who crave a simple and comforting pizza pie — the Grizzly Gourmet Pizza Delivery. Because sometimes, even when you’re out in the Montana wilderness, you just need a pizza (their menu also offers salads, sides, and desserts).

Spa at The Resort at Paws Up Montana

Again, I was staying on-site in the fall when the property’s full-fledged outdoor “Spa Town” had already been taken down — but from what I could see, the Spa Town setup at Paws Up Montana looks like a gorgeous setup. There’s a lineup of relaxing canvas tents (which have full baths and heated massage tables) connected by a dreamy wooden boardwalk nestled into a hill on the property overlooking the plains. The idea of spending time in Spa town is for you to feel “lost in the woods” with a state of total immersion into nature while you’re enjoying your treatment.

For fitness fanatics who need more than a trail ride or a hike outdoors, the indoor 24/7 gym space is sizable and clean, featuring elliptical machines, free weights, medicine balls, stationary bikes, and treadmills.

Activities and on-site entertainment

No matter how many days you’re planning to visit Paws Up, you’ll never run out of things to do. This property has its own 37,000 acres of space, including the aforementioned 100-plus miles of trails, and it’s close to the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness, which means seemingly endless opportunities for outdoor escapades.

I was lucky enough to try a few different activities during my visit. On a private hike, my local guide was incredibly well-versed in the flora found across our pathway. She’d point out various plants and tell me what they were (or still are) used for in natural healing practices. It was fascinating to learn about how when we’re outdoors, we’re surrounded by natural medicines and sustenance — if we know where to look for it.

After the hike, the guide led a sound bath experience for me, which took place in the ethereal-feeling glass house at Spa Town, bathed in sunlight and with an inspiring view of the rolling plains.

In an archery session, I was pleasantly surprised by how interactive our guide was in helping me live out my fantasy of shooting arrows like Katniss Everdeen (albeit with far worse accuracy and endurance). Archery participants are taken into a special area of the woods on the property near the Meadow Homes, onto a course with ten different archery stations outfitted with foam animals (the bear and jackalope were my favorite targets) set in the woods. There are even two elevated platforms to simulate a tree stand.

On a guided ATV tour, we sped around the property, seeing various sights and learning about the gripping history of the land on which Paws Up Montana lives (its stories date back hundreds of years).

But perhaps the most unique experience I had while visiting Paws Up was participating in a real-life “Cattle Drive.” I was admittedly nervous about this activity while preparing to participate, looking back. I’d seen cattle drives before, and it looked like the cowboys and cowgirls had such a strong presence and skill while herding these independent animals with their horses.

In reality, there was nothing to be nervous about — but as someone who has only ridden on a few horses, I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t have much confidence in my personal “herding” abilities. When we arrived at the Saddle Club facility (which actually hosts a ton of activities for those interested in this special brand of “horseplay,”) we were matched with our own horses by one of the guides based on our personalities and equestrian experience.

We saddled up and spent about 45 minutes taking the reins (pun intended), learning the ropes, and bonding with our horses while figuring out how to work with them. I no longer felt intimidated by the time we set off for the action. I still couldn’t believe I was actively participating in an essential activity on this working ranch.

We rode out to the field, where dozens of 800-pound Corriente cows were grazing. We used the techniques we had been taught on how to herd the cattle in a certain direction, and it turned out to be much more straightforward than I’d expected. The cattle drive became a sort of spiritual experience. There was mutual respect between the horses and the cattle, a powerful symbiotic relationship where the horses used their unspoken (but palpable) influence and presence to get the enormous cows to meander all together in a specific direction.

We rode our animals around the cows in certain formations, catching stragglers and nipping the ones who tried to defy the horse’s power. We led them in a direction toward a specific Paws Up pasture where they’d stay for the night.

When we finished the herding, we turned and guided our horses back toward the Saddle Club. It was golden hour, and the rays of sun filtering through the dust in the air from our horses’ rhythmic clomping hooves were shining down on the Montana countryside as if we were all starting in a dreamy movie instead of real life.

We were by then an accomplished team of wranglers. One guest asked (and it didn’t sound like he was completely joking) if Paws Up was hiring — because he’d love to join them on a regular basis. They actually said, “yes.”

The Cattle Drive was an incredibly unique activity offered at Paws Up — and I feel like it could serve as both an educational and personally transformative experience for anyone who’s willing to respectfully give it a try.

Come for the seclusion, freedom, and open space — come back for the community atmosphere

Everyone who works at Paws Up is warm, welcoming, and passionate about the property, and you can feel it while you’re visiting. The food is tasty, the drinks are expertly curated, and the activities are potentially life-changing (especially if you do end up quitting your job and joining their team as a wrangler). The accommodations are an adventure — but the folks who make the experience feel worthwhile are the reason so many guests return year after year to make Paws Up Montana their regular vacation spot to spend time with family and friends.